Lesson's Learned by Laura - Part Deux

A double whammy for ya:

1. Gardening and runny noses. Not a good combo.

Dirtiest baby EVER

2. Don't take your eye off your babe at the beach - not even for a second. Case in point: Using shovel to funnel sand in her mouth - not bucket. Eating gourmet at Crescent Beach

LXO

The Diversion

Took the babe shopping the other day at IGA. Shopping with a toddler is NOT as easy as it looks. She takes off as soon as we step into the store, looking back only occasionally when she wants me to come her way. And yes -there is only one way in Lily-land. It's whatever direction she goes... And she freaks out when I try to hold her. Good times.

As Jason was paying for the groceries, I was showing Lily the ridey horse ride (what the heck are these things officially called?) - conveniently placed beside the kids shopping carts. I have since learned these carts are the 'fru-eets of the dev-eel' as Lily insists on ramming the cart into shoppers' leg - like some early form of baby Pacman. Needless to say we're not that popular at the local IGA.

I was trying to distract her for like 30 seconds while Paps finished at the till. In the meantime, restraining her from ripping bags of potatoe chips off the nearby chip display (sacriligious!), distracting her from the Baluzabeth carts and digging around in every crevice to find a quarter for the damn horse ride.

Lily desparately wanted a cart. She didn't care about the stupid horse, for which her pathetically poor mama couldn't afford. Nor did she care for my incessant 'No cart right now, sweety' pep talk.

Suddenly she wriggled loose from me, ran a couple of metres away, then threw Todd on the floor. When I scurried to pick him up, she ran back to the carts, and grabbed one - started yanking it out.I stood there for a second. Had I been duped by a 1.5 year old? How does a 1 year old know how to create a diversion? Seriously? Is diversionary tactics pre-programmed into our DNA or was this a survival skill picked up at Daycare lady's house?

Well played Lily. Well played indeed.

LXO

San Fran or Bust - Cont. Really Late

A picture diary of the last leg of our trip.

Farewell San Fran

Too late to turn around?

Napa Valley

Grapes

$30 to get in to see this lame fountain - so took picture.

Cali/Oregon Coast

Redwood Forest - The highlight of Lily's trip - Chainsaw bear store. Here for over 1 hour. Almost had to buy one. Almost...

Redwood Forest - Drive Through Tree. $5 entrance fee. $5 too much.

Pure Bliss at Oregon Beach. Lily had trouble walking in the sand. But loved collecting shells.

PortlandPortland. Smooches in the smallest hotel room in the world.

Lily Heaven - Buried in stuffed animals at the end of the trip.

Lxo